A method is known from German Patent No. 198 17 334 for adjusting a triggering threshold of passenger protective devices. In this context, the triggering threshold is lowered as a function of the pre-crash signal and a crash signal. A fiber optic loading sensor is proposed as the crash sensor, which is provided at at least one crash surface typical for accident situations, and, when a force acts upon the light fiber system, it leads to a change in the light output that is to be measured at the light exit by a light meter, as a function of which the crash signal is sent. The crash signal is logically linked to the pre-crash signal, for instance, in an AND gate, in order to make possible the lowering of the triggering threshold, which comes about based on the signal of the acceleration sensor.